May 09, 2011

Valvin Muscat is a hybrid -- known genetically as 62-122.01 -- developed in the early 1960s at the Cornell Experimental Station in Geneva and was released commercially in 2006. It is a cross of muscat ottonel and muscat du moulin.

I've been a bit less enthusiastic based on the examples I've tasted -- but this Hunt Country Vineyards 2009 Valvin Muscat ($15) certainly shows the grapes promise. It's certainly the best the winery has released thus far.

As you'd expect with muscat, the nose is floral -- explosively so -- but also with aromas sweet citrus and Fruity Pebbles cereal.

Just off-dry, the palate is pleasant if a bit simple in its floral-lemon candy profile. Though balanced, just a bit more acidity would really sharpen the mid-palate and finish.

I don't know how high the ceiling is for this grape in the Finger Lakes, but it seems like it hasn't been achieved just yet. There's potential here.

May 04, 2011

Louis Barruol, vigneron of the critically acclaimed Chateau de Saint Cosme winery in France's Rhone Valley, has agreed to a partnership to make wine under a new Finger Lakes label. Chateau de Saint Cosme is located in Gigondas and is widely considered the top producer in that appellation, while also producing wine from various other Rhone appellations, including Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Barruol will be an equal partner alongside Rick Rainey in the new Forge Cellars project. Justin Boyette, winemaker for the Hector Wine Company, is also involved and will help make the wines at the Hectcor Wine Company facility. Phil Davis, of Damiani Wine Cellars, is on board as well, offering to help the team secure quality fruit.

The first vintage of Forge Cellars will be 2011, with a small initial production of only riesling and pinot noir. Barruol expects to make roughly 300 cases of each this year, with an eye toward gradually increasing production in coming years.

This partnership is the result of several years of planning. Rainey, who lives in Trumansburg and works for Winebow, met Barruol on work trips to France years ago. They struck up a friendship and Barruol later told Rainey that he was interested in a new, small project outside the Rhone Valley that would focus entirely on quality. Barruol had toured wine regions in search of the right fit, but was ultimately unimpressed with what he found in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. So Rainey asked Barruol to visit the Finger Lakes, and the French winemaker was quickly enamored.

"The Finger Lakes is better than anything I saw anywhere else," Barruol said this week during his third visit to the region. "This is the place I like most."

The tentative plan is for Barruol to visit the Finger Lakes several times each year, with at least one visit during harvest. His winemaking decisions will not be unilateral; Boyette will contribute and handle much of the execution, with Rainey and Davis offering input on growing and other areas.

"The bar is going to be extremely high," Rainey said. "We know that. We've been working for a long time to launch this project and we're finally ready." But he added, "The last thing we want anyone to think is that Louis Barruol is coming to the Finger Lakes to show everyone how it's done. We're going to learn from the other great winemakers in this region, and we're going to try some new things. We've met privately with other winemakers already and we've heard nothing but positive feedback."

Boyette said that he's eager to work alongside Barruol. "His track record is phenomenal," Boyette said during Barruol's recent visit. "I'm sure I can provide some answers and ideas when it comes to winemaking in the Finger Lakes, and I'll certainly learn from his ideas, too."

A conversation with Barruol reveals that the Frenchman will indeed seek to try new approaches.

Louis Barruol: Opinionated but humble

"I am not here to tell anyone anything," Barruol said as we tasted through his impressive lineup of Gigondas cuvees.

They are the kind of red wines that offer a glimpse of what the Finger Lakes might aspire to on a slightly smaller scale: Depth, but freshness, and "no fat!" as Louis says. "The Finger Lakes was already doing great things before I came here," he continued.

I asked if he had been impressed by any Finger Lakes wines or winemakers in particular. He singled out a bottle of Red Newt 2006 Reserve Riesling and also praised the pinot from Heart & Hands. Then he said, "Morten at Ravines and Fred at Wiemer. They are outstanding. To me, the Finger Lakes can easily compete with the greatest German rieslings. Easily. The best Wiemer is not much different than the best German wines. Quality is already here. We can find it."

But Barruol plans to do things that few others are doing in the region. It starts with his plan to use old barrels for riesling. "I have made a lot of white wine in stainless steel and a lot of white wine in wood," he said. "I think stainless steel is the worst for making wine. In old wood, the wine stays very, very fresh. You would not be able to tell it's aged in wood. It's just a bit rounder, but there is no oak influence whatsoever in the wine."

Customers can expect dry riesling with a big frame from Forge Cellars.

"Our grapes will be ripe, but our wines will be dry," Barruol said. "Sugar is a problem for me, usually. We don't want much sugar."

Then there are his plans for pinot noir. Barruol loves Burgundy, and when his Gigondas cuvees age, he finds they take on a more Burgundian quality. The Finger Lakes will give him his first chance to make pinot noir.

"Sleepy potential"

"The immediate potential for riesling is great," Barruol said. "The sleepy potential for pinot is also great, but there is a long ways to go with it."

He finds the Finger Lakes climate to be superior to most others in the world for pinot noir. "Pinot doesn't like sun. Pinot likes clouds. Pinot gets burned easily. If the Finger Lakes had milder winters, it would be the ideal climate, perfect."

Barruol explained his biggest concern about making complex, quality Finger Lakes pinot noir. He is opposed to the use of clones, and favors the old-world method of planting "selection massale," detailed in this link.

"You can not gain the same complexity with clones," Barruol said. "The vines are all the same, and the wines are safe, more simple." He explained that in Gigondas, for example, "it is all different. You have different plants, not clones, and it is so much better for the wines. But at some point, scientists convinced everyone that clones were healthier. I don't even think that's true."

Barruol will purchase fruit in the Finger Lakes made from clones because, for now, there is no other option. "That will take many years to change," Phil Davis said. "But he makes good points. I'm very open to new plantings and new ideas. We're all here to explore. Wine is not all science; it's art."

Forge Cellars: All about quality

"We are pouring everything into quality," Rainey said. "That's the advantage of a small production. We want to see how high quality can go. The first few years will be largely experimental, with a lot of variables, but we know there will be high expectations. We welcome that."

"Sometimes you're lucky and you find a good recipe immediately," Barruol said. "But sometimes it takes a few years. We'll see."

Forge Cellars wines will be sold in the Hector Wine Company tasting room and eventually a few local stores and restaurants.

"I just think about the last few years, and the fact that Louis could have chosen to start a new project anywhere in the world," Rainey said. "He chose the Finger Lakes. I think that says all you need to know about how good Finger Lakes wines are, and how good they can be."

May 02, 2011

With wines from "great red wine years" like 2005 and 2007 available across New York (with 2010s still at least a year away), it would be easy to focus on wines from those vintages and dismiss those from other years.

It's easy to be wowed by the intensity and power of those wines, but if you explore New York reds with hot-vintage blinders on, you'll miss out on a great many delicious, satisfying wines from more typical years.

This Lakewood Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Franc ($16) is an nice example of we shouldn't dismiss cooler years.

Pretty black raspberry fruit is joined on the nose by notes of smoky tea, cedar, dusty cocoa powder and delicate green character.

Though made in a distinctly lighter-bodied style, there is a lot to like here. The fruit flavors lean a bit more towards red berries with a smoky edge and understated eartiness with a dash of cocoa and baking spice.

The finish is medium-long if a bit oaky, but there's an intriguing spiciness too.

April 28, 2011

"It's a rare day when a bridge gets burned. It seems that in the Finger Lakes, you can move around in the wine industry and keep your relationships strong with previous employers and colleagues. That's one of the great attributes of this region."

So says Derek Wilber (pictured right), the outgoing president and winemaker of White Springs Winery on Seneca Lake, and the once-and-future winemaker at Swedish Hill on Cayuga Lake. Wilber, who worked at Swedish Hill from 2000 to 2005, will return next week to take over for Ian Barry, who heads west to lead the winemaking operation at Keuka Lake Vineyards.

It is a series of moves that will likely not impact the average consumer very much, and that's unusual with so much change.

Ian Barry (pictured left) has been responsible for roughly 80,000 cases of wine each year (a very large number in the Finger Lakes region). At Keuka Lake Vineyards, he'll make around 3,000 cases.

"At Swedish Hill, I spent a lot of time managing workflow," Barry says, while crediting Swedish Hill for investing in a large staff and high-end equipment. "At KLV, it's just going to be me in the cellar. I'll know exactly what's been going on with every wine at all times. And, ultimately, I feel like I'll be able to spend more time with the wine."

Keuka Lake Vineyards has expanded the riesling program in recent years, and Barry has tasted alongside his friend Staci Nugent, the current winemaker who has decided to move on to other career pursuits. Barry has high praise for Nugent and for the ambitions of KLV owner Mel Goldman.

"I've always found their rieslings in particular to be among the best in the Finger Lakes," Barry says. "The mineral-driven style with racy acidity has always been a style that appeals to me, and I think they're doing it really well."

He adds, "Mel has no desire to grow the business very big. He plans to keep it small and focus on quality, and develop a following for his wines."

Wilber says a large business can still be a family business, and that defines Swedish Hill. "I'm excited to go back," he says. "The Petersons have always been great people to work for."

In recent years, Barry has led Swedish Hill to a long list of industry honors, and Wilber praises his colleague for it. "This is a real good fit for me, but certainly Ian's shoes will be big to fill."

As one of the most visible Finger Lakes wineries, Swedish Hill has guaranteed stability with the return of an experienced winemaker like Wilber.

But Wilber admits that leaving White Springs Winery is difficult, and his move was prompted by the very public attempts to sell the winery. "Since this business was put up for sale, I've kept my eyes and ears open," Wilber says. "I didn't go looking for work, but I also had no guarantee of my current position if the winery is sold. You just never know, and so when Swedish Hill called, it felt right."

White Springs Winery: A maturing operation now has an uncertain future

Wilber will consult for White Springs Winery and professes his desire to see it sold to someone who will keep the business operating as a winery. "We've really gained some good understanding of what this land is capable of in the past five years," Wilber says. "It's tough to walk away from that. You do it with a heavy heart. But that doesn't mean the next owners won't see the same potential."

A listing by the Pyramid Brokerage Company shows White Springs Winery for sale at a price of $5 million.

After substantial investments to grow the brand, improve the tasting room, and modernize the winery, White Springs will eventually have its future determined by new owners. Wilber thinks wine lovers won't see much change. "I don't see any reason why that would be the case," he says. "We'll all do our part to preserve what they've started."

Johannes and Fred kept the crowd entertained with stories of their personal journies (if you haven't heard it, you must ask Fred about Hermann's fib when Fred first went to work for Wiemer). There was a moment when the room burst into applause in support of Johannes and his quest to earn permanent status in this country. And the quality of the questions from the audience when it came to winemaking was off the charts.

I'm told they had to turn some people away -- the room was packed, and the staff did a fantastic job. We enjoyed food from the NYWCC, and this was the wine list:

April 21, 2011

In a 2004 speech on his educational programs, President Bush decried the “soft bigotry of low expectations” by the opposition party. The worthy phrase resonated with many. I wondered about such expectations in regard to New York wines, and how our wine industry would react if a mirror were held up to its wines and the reflection said “it’s great…for what it is…”

That stinging phrase, “for what it is…” is the comment that sinks and supplants the “world class” argument every time, and I’ve tried to count how often I’ve heard it over the years.

As if further explanation were even required at this point, let me posit the possibility of a Pauillac or a Volnay being described the same way -- not likely. But this malignant axiom gets attached to places like Chile and Argentina, though less so recently, and to more obscure places who exist in the shadow of more reputable neighbors. Minor appellations like the Cotes de Bourg, Languedoc, Anjou, Toro, Rufina, Michigan and Niagara...even whole grape varieties aren’t immune to similar treatment.

Expectations are naturally lowered to meet the potential of these weaker communes, right?

What inspires a sommelier or other taste-making wine professional to put a Cheverny, Grüner Veltliner, Verdichio or a Navarra by the glass? Wines like this are obscure but of high quality they’ll tell you, and they are bringing their customers an experience and a value that they would certainly have little chance of otherwise finding. Correct on all counts. What do they see when they look at our home state’s truly fine wines? I’m not going to dig up the old chestnut of Loire restaurants selling only Loire wines and Bordeaux restaurants selling only Bordeaux wine. We know that New York is cosmopolitan to the utmost, and not in the least bit provincial. Besides, I’d even be willing to suggest that our placement near to the Big Apple is an unfair advantage we haven’t even exploited fully.

So why are our wines termed “great...for what it is…” so often? Are expectations lowered for New York wines, like other minor regions?

I believe our circumstance is self-inflicted. We (often) fail to support our legitimate claims to greatness by failing to meet our customers’ expectations of quality versus price. Unstable and illogical pricing is further compounded by a varied, random mix of world-class wines with inferior wines. That is auxiliary to a difficult-to-fulfill and difficult-to-maintain supply chain. Further, we haven’t fully embraced the tools that bring us closer to the end-user of our product (like social media) and we’re not evolving as quickly as other industries.

By simply attempting to meet our customers’ expectations at a business level, fiscally and logistically, we start to market ourselves properly. Simple postures support this.

Availability is good for the reputation of an emerging region. Wineries (in New York) should commit to wholesale distribution. Self distribution is more profitable in the short term, but ignores long-term planning, diversification of sales and brand building. Availability of product in a wide area, and with regular delivery makes sales easier and ensures greater visibility of that product and the region. Wholesale should be an integrated part of the winery’s business plan. If the winery waits for folks to show up at the front door, they’ll wish for wholesale when gasoline hits five or six dollars a gallon. Professional retail and restaurant buyers demand variety, but they want fewer vendors too. Let your distributor do the driving, and put boots on the street to bring the message directly to the gatekeeper.

All of that said, there will always be family farms of a small stature (and varying quality levels) that distribution means nothing to because they make a fine living for themselves. That works for them, but they are not part of the greater question of regional ascendancy. Quality leaders can be found everywhere but while these farms may lead locally, they will fail to gain reputations in the broad market. Conversely, those who embrace a wider stance over the broad market dominate the message, regardless of their relative quality.

Resistance to small brands by the wholesale distributors is mitigated by a committed producer. That is, the winery who hires a salesperson to aid the distributors’ work, and sets pricing that delivers uniformity and fairness, all balanced with logical expectations.

If you aren’t over-delivering, you are under-delivering. Wineries (in New York) must commit to pricing policies that are fair, consistent, logical and distinguish quality -- and by fair, I mean to the winery and to the consumer both. Resist the urge to raise prices, and instead, make more wine if you are selling all of it consistently. Regular price manipulations walk a very fine line between gouging and maximizing profits and one should err on the side of the end-user. Consistency of price builds loyalty in all corners of the marketplace, while fluctuations confuse even your biggest fans. Your pricing should have enough room in it to respond well to changing market conditions. The market always makes room for a wine that delivers fairly in quality and value regardless of its actual price.

Ultimately, we may find that producing less wine of better quality at higher prices is easier than taking on the world at $15 a bottle -- or even less.

Over-deliver on your packaging materials too. Too often our wines are packaged in sixty-five cent bottles of pale green glass and silicon closures. For just a couple of dollars more a case, punted glass, updated labels and real capsules show integrity and pride, and elevate the consumers’ experience from the point of purchase. There was a time, when cheap packaging meant some kind of authenticity because, after all, the proof was in the bottle. Those days are long gone.

And over-delivering also means engaging the customer warmly, personally and consistently. If we learned anything from the NYCR's Brian Sedgwick experiment it’s that it’s possible to be too buried in work to realize that the customer is standing right there wanting to be recognized and welcomed. I’m afraid that too often it’s the coolness of the reception rather than the climate visitors remember, but we’re changing that -- and social media and healthy competition is pushing us in the right direction.

Improving the vineyard set. Simply wanting to be world-class doesn’t make it so. By continually striving to improve our wines and the vines that produce them we are making investments in the future of our state’s industry.

Hybrids -- which many agree are inferior to vinifera -- aren’t going to immediately go away, and when possible they should be replaced by superior varieties. Repackaging hybrid wines, as well as inferior vinifera wines, as proprietary wines makes a great deal of sense.

Cash-flow wines like these bring razor thin margins most of the time while damaging the region’s reputation; however they are often an important part of the economic landscape, for the small and large operators. Repackage the hybrids into another Red Cat (a brilliant brand) or a Winter White and you can build a new business model and a new revenue stream that doesn’t make excuses and doesn’t pretend to be something it isn’t. A Traminette may get seven tons per acre but even a well-made one isn’t going to get a 90 in the Wine Spectator and it isn’t likely to be at the Modern by the glass. But the respectfully made, traditional, unique, and frankly spectacular riesling might. It is a rare thing indeed to find a varietally labeled hybrid wine that is universally celebrated, aside from the now ever-present vidal ice wines -- although I can think of a baco noir or two.

It is possible to produce hybrids for fun and profit, but it requires a much more honest assessment of the resulting wines. Great wine made next to generic hybrid wine is a high-wire act that requires expert branding and marketing. It is difficult work to say the least, and we should be working towards an all-vinifera New York as quickly as possible.

Improving our vineyard set means improving our clones of vinifera too where applicable. Now is the time to start. Let it be said though that most Long Island producers do not struggle with questions relating to vinifera versus hybrids -- rather they struggle with the unique problem of presenting to the public older vintages. Here we walk the delicate line between inventory that doesn’t move quickly and selling the benefits of aged wines to the consumer, while knowing full well that the truth lies somewhere between the two.

Stop complaining about the Californians. It isn’t productive to publicly rail against high-alcohol and highly extracted California wines; it just sounds like an insubstantial argument for distinctiveness. Worse, it may estrange customers who enjoy both New York wines and California wines, which is a lot of them.

California, in production for about as long as New York, has managed to define its own style, create a massive domestic and global market for itself, and meet the world’s wine buyers at every level of quality and price. And they manage to do that, right in our front yards, and from 3,000 miles away. They are also forward thinking enough to replace Ruby Cabernet and other inferior varieties, set high standards for sustainability, elevate and innovate packaging materials, and more recently throttle back on new oak and high alcohols when they see the tide turning against that.

Why are we floating in the tube while they drive the boat? A better idea is to stop making any comparisons to other regions. Let’s leave that to the spectators, enthusiasts and fans of our wines. Let’s see what the world thinks they taste like before we urge them in one direction or another.

Sometimes I wonder how many “average” consumers of New York rieslings and chardonnays can actually sit down and compare them to notable Germans and Burgundies. Probably not a lot. Just as most consumers can’t compare our merlots to Pomerol with much authority. They can, however, compare them to California merlots so perhaps our arguments should be made from the glass, not in ardent diatribes meant to embarrass our Left Coast peers and their warmer climate.

So, are we suffering the soft bigotry of low expectations? Are expectations lowered for New York wines? The answer is absolutely “no.”

Expectations for New York wines are exactly the same as every other wine region in the world -- thankfully. The sooner we realize that the better off we’ll be. It’s meeting the expectations of the world that will decide whether or not our reputation is defined by phrases like “for what it is…” sooner than “world-beating”, “great value”, “emerging region”, or “unique terroir.” We don’t need to continue a futile search for identity, or worse, promote an ersatz identity invented by a PR firm. Rather, we need to let our improved reputation descend upon us organically in terms laid out by an appreciative world.

The gatekeepers of the industry aren’t blind to our existence, nor are they bigoted against the local wine scene. And the best of them don’t need a PR firm to remind them where we are located. We will learn from them by examining what they do buy for their by-the-glass programs and their retailer case-stacks and we will adjust to meet them -- because so far, trying to make them change their course to meet us hasn’t entirely worked.

April 20, 2011

The emails and comments from readers has already been overwhelming. Lenn thought it would be interesting to share a selected comment from time to time, and we encourage NYCR readers to share their thoughts as well.

This comes from a man named Wolf Tinz. I don't exactly know where Wolf lives, but I found his email extremely moving.

Some readers have already told me they plan to join us for the official book launch event this coming Saturday, April 23, from 4-6 at the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua. Tickets are still available and two strapping winemakers are joining me to pour their wines and chat. We'll have some great food, too.

Thanks so much for reading and supporting the book. I'll let Wolf take it from here.

****

Dear Evan,

I would like to compliment you on your new book “Summer in a Glass”, but I must relate a story to put it into context, so here it goes.

Last week was my wife’s birthday. I gave your book to her last Thursday morning and she buried herself in the book and finished it the same day. That evening we went out to celebrate with our good friends Peter and Hannilore, an Austria toolmaker and tool and die shop owner who befriended us some years ago. All through dinner Cecil gushed about the book she just read knowing they also have a deep interest in wine. At the end of the evening I reminded them that Saturday was my day to cook (we have a weekly tradition where the four of us all take turns to acting as chef of the day).

Our guest arrived that Saturday evening and Peter had brought us a bottle of 1997 Wiemer Riesling from his wine cellar, saying, “Here, I think you will enjoy this”. While they had no idea as to the menu for the evening, it was the perfect choice to go with the seafood crepes and Pisaladiere I had prepared. It was the oldest and by far the best Finger Lakes wine I’ve ever tasted! As we finished our dessert and savored the last of the German Trockenbeeren Auslese I had uncorked for the evening Peter had glanced at the book and said, “Since you have a Barnes & Nobel membership, could you order me “Three copies?”

“Three?” I said”

“Yes, two that I can give as gifts and one for me”.

Now back to my original thought for this note:

Your book has given us a new appreciation for the wine and winemaker of this region and we will surely pay more attention to the up and coming wines of this area. Its conversational style made it an easy and enjoyable read. Thank you also, for your contribution to promoting the evolving local wine industry. People need to know there is more to the local wine industry than Crackling Lake Niagara and jug wine.

We've got some producers that we're including for the first time, which is always fun.

For our Basic-Level Members this month, we have a Finger Lakes riesling and a Finger Lakes Cayuga White -- yes, a Cayuga White.

Lucas Vineyards 2009 Cayuga White may very well be the finest example of the hybrid variety I've tasted. And it's a great value in a spring or summer sipper.

Apple-pear aromas dominate with layers of white flowers and candy coating/confection. It is straight forward on the palate with forward, slightly candied apple-pear flavors. It could be quite sweet at 2.75% RS, but it's balanced very well with brisk acid.

Our second wine for the Basic Level this month is Hunt Country Vineyards 2009 Semi-Dry Riesling. It starts out with juicy, just-ripe pear and white tea aromas with just a little lime and honeysuckle.

Well balanced and mouth-watering on the palate, this off-dry riesling brings a bit more lime on the palate to go along with the floral and pear flavors.

We keep with the over-delivering them with our Premium-Level wines this month as well.

Sherwood House Vineyards 2005 Merlot is medium-to-full bodied and offers both fresh and dried cherry flavors with underlying tobacco and dried herb character. There is a dose of toasty oak here too that spices the wine rather than overwhelming it. The tannins are of medium intensity and are well integrated. Acidity brings a certain freshness.

Earthy and dried cherry notes re-emerge on the medium-long finish.

Our second wine, Swedish Hill Winery 2007 Optimus is 42% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot and 25% cabernet franc -- all grown in the Finger Lakes -- and we've just been waiting for the winery to release it so we could include it.

On the nose, there are black plums and blueberries with accents of tobacco, dark chocolate and baking spice. Ripe, well-integrated tannins frame similar flavors -- plums, blueberries, tobacco and chocolate -- with the addition of spices reminiscent of cola and just a little vanilla -- while subtle acidity enlivens the medium-bodied palate.

Learn more about the club and by all means, sign up. You can just do a month or three if you want to try it out. And as always, if you have any questions, please just ask me!

In the fall of 2009, as a member of the Board of Directors of the Keuka Lake Association, I was appointed to a new committee to study the process of “hydrofracking.” It was being proposed in the Finger Lakes to extract natural gas from a shale layer located beneath the area. Hearing that “hydrofracking” is a much more intense and complex process than the current process of extraction, we were anxious to learn more about it. We had heard reports of major disruptions to farms, roads, streams and water wells in northern Pennsylvania where they had already begun hydrofracking.

The gas industry literature explains that the word “hydrofracking” is short for high-pressure, high-volume, slick-water, horizontal hydraulic fracturing.

In December of 2009, it was discovered that Chesapeake Energy, the largest natural gas exploration company in the country was planning to pump hundreds of millions of gallons of toxic hydrofracking waste water into an old gas well located above the shores of Keuka Lake. Why would they want to do that? We needed to learn more about the entire process of hydrofracking.

Most people are familiar with the way natural gas has been extracted in the past. Many landowners have had gas leases in the past. Many still do. Up until now, gas drilling was fairly safe and the disruptions were generally worth the inconvenience because most people knew they were temporary and had few long-term detrimental effects on their land. Besides, if gas was found, landowners (usually farmers) would eventually receive some royalties that would help with the bills and make it easier to stay in farming. People also knew that the money was temporary and the well would eventually run dry and it would be capped and done with.

Rarely were there problems with ruined water wells and poisoned land. There was only a small amount of water used in the drilling operation then. The most common problem was the large amount of salt in the cuttings (material brought up during drilling) and the brine that was recovered. Even if the brine ran onto the ground, it eventually was washed away by the rain. Usually the brine and cuttings were trucked away to somewhere else. When the well ran out of gas, people went back to the way things were before. Few people have a problem with this type of gas extraction.

A few years ago, it was discovered that a layer of shale beneath this part of the country called the Marcellus Shale has a huge amount of natural gas embedded in it and the recently developed process of hydrofracking might be used to extract the gas. The process had been used in Texas, Colorado and Wyoming in similar rock strata.

Now, when the gas companies hydrofrack a well, the process is nothing like the drilling done in the past. For example, instead of 1-2 acres of land bulldozed for the wellpad, it is now 6-10 acres leveled. Instead of one vertical well drilled per pad there are now 4-12 wells drilled horizontally from a single vertical well. Instead of a handful of trucks of water per well, there are now around 10,000 truckloads of water, chemicals, sand and equipment per well pad (average 8 wells per pad times 8,000,000 gallons water per well divided by about 6,000 gals. per truckload).

All that water is mixed with sand and chemicals, many of them toxic. This mixture is pumped down the wells under extreme pressure to fracture and pulverize the shale layers. About half of the poisoned mixture is forced back out of the well by the pressure of the gas released from the shale. It now also contains high levels of salts, heavy metals and pulverized, often radioactive, shale mud. It is now called “flowback” or “produced water” (information from American Petroleum Institute). There is currently no practical large scale way to completely decontaminate this “produced water.” Thousands of additional truckloads are currently needed to haul it somewhere else.

The gas, oil and coal companies are now exempt from the federal Safe Drinking Water Act by an act of Congress in 2005. The bill was passed by Congress under pressure from Vice President Cheney and the energy lobby. Before running for Vice President, Cheney had been CEO of Halliberton. (This act referred to as the Halliberton Loophole since Halliberton created the process, supplies the chemicals and is paid by the drilling companies to do the hydrofracking.)

Every other company and person in America must abide by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Act, but the gas companies can frack in many places with impunity. They’ve dumped “produced water” in rivers and they’ve dumped it on the ground. The gas companies have tried putting the produced water through municipal water treatment plants. It killed the bacteria in the plants. It passes through with the toxins still intact. These treatment plants were not designed to process these pollutants. (Univ. of Pittsburgh study)

Officials in other states frowned upon these practices so the gas companies are injecting some of it down old wells under high pressure into deeper layers below the Marcellus layer. This injection process has been associated with thousands of small tremors in Arkansas and Texas ranging up to 4.0 on the Richter Scale. The injection in these areas has been temporarily halted.

If we ask the gas industry people about hydrofracking, they say they have been doing hydrofracking in New York State for over 40 years. This is a very misleading statement. They have been pressurizing some vertical wells using relatively small amounts of water -- sometimes mixed with sand -- over the past 40 years. For the last 40 years the gas companies were not doing high-volume, slick-water horizontal hydrofracking using millions of gallons of water per well mixed with chemicals and sand. This was first used according to the gas industry starting in 1999. Unfortunately, our state legislature representatives and some of our congressmen have been fed this false information and fiercely repeat it. They don’t even acknowledge the difference when the facts are explained it to them. I wonder where their campaign money comes from?

Luckily some of the DEC staff people do understand the difference.

Some of you may have decided not to renew your gas lease and are relieved that you won’t be drilled on. I applaud you for that. It is a great first step. However, in New York, we are bound by the “Unitization” rule. This means that the gas companies can determine a 640 acre (square mile) area that they define as a unit and they only have to sign up 60% of the land in the “Unit” and they can draw the boundary lines to suit themselves.

This means that a gas company may still drill under your property from your neighbors leased land and possibly destroy your clean water. They can locate the rig as close as 100 feet from your house, if your house is near your property line. Often the gas companies’ representatives, known as landmen, tell the landowner that they are the only one in the unit who has not signed a lease. This is often completely false.

Remember this: Even if you sign a lease and then change your mind, you can cancel the lease if you do it within three days and return any money they gave you at signing. Unlike before hydrofracking, once they decide to drill into the Marcellus shale on your farm, your farm is entirely under their control. It becomes an industrial site. There will be constant noise, trucks, fumes, dust as well as occasional spills, accidents etc. 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for years on end.

With thousands of trucks traveling each day, the roads are almost impassible at times. There is a lot of dust, mud and toxic fumes. Few visitors will likely venture near these areas. Those of us who depend on visitors will soon be out of business as will many other businesses that benefit from tourism. If they drill on or near our vineyards, we will likely not be able to work the land or sell the contaminated fruit.

According to DEC records, over the years, a significant number of gas wells have eventually contaminated local water wells, aquifers or streams. Hydrofracking increases these odds. If our goal is to continue to grow grapes or produce wine, and live in this beautiful unspoiled region where we take clean water and air and fertile land as our right, we need to refuse to lease our land to these gas companies until they can develop new methods that are safe, or, go back to older methods that were safe and do not destroy our way of life and our land.

We need to take this position, if we want our children and grandchildren to be able to live here and grow healthy food for a hungry planet.

I’ve read a couple of books recently about the coming shortage of fresh water. Most of the farming in the western United States is irrigated and those areas are starting to run short of water. Within a generation, most of that production will have to be grown somewhere else. Here in the Finger Lakes we have some of the cleanest, most abundant fresh water in the world. We have a temperate climate and fertile soils. Many of us believe this region is destined to once again become the breadbasket of the Northeast. Farmers will soon be able to make a good living growing food again. We cannot afford to lose another acre of farmland here to gas wells or to developers.

The gas companies say that hydrofracking in New Yorkwill help make America energy independent. We will be able to stop importing oil from the Middle East. With the hydrofracking already being done, there is now a surplus of natural gas and the gas companies are shipping it overseas as fast as they can build export terminals.

It’s not really about America’s future, it’s strictly about maximizing corporate profits. Many of these companies are owned completely or in part by foreign companies already. Many of the energy companies pay no Federal income taxes and receive billions in tax credits. Does that make sense for America? If we as Americans are serious about ending our dependence on fossil fuel and the Middle East, then we need to cut out the government subsidies and tax credits to the largest richest energy companies in the world and invest those billions in renewable energy research and energy efficiency right now. This will truly create millions of permanent local jobs!

Now, I know that the official policy of the Farm Bureau has been pro-drilling. That policy was established before widespread information was known about what really happens to your farm with hydrofracking. I believe we can change this grass roots policy if we simply show up at the local policy execution meetings and vote.

Believe me, I know how difficult it is at times to make ends meet on a farm and have many friends who had to sell their farms. But we are now reaching a time in the world’s history when the world can no longer feed itself. Recently, grain and food prices around the world have been rising dramatically. Unusual weather events have disrupted growing cycles. We see the beginnings of a new food movement already. Yates County has the largest percentage of organically farmed acreage of any county in the state and among the most diverse types of crops. More people want to know where their food comes from and the “Buy Local” trend is growing.

However, just like food from Japan now, several food store buyers have already announced they may not buy food from areas where hydrofracking is being done. This would devastate many of our farmers if hydrofracking were allowed in the Finger Lakes.

Another consideration about whether to lease your mineral rights is the policy of some banks not to loan to property with gas leases on them. In Pennsylvania, a number of banks are curtailing new loans. Chase and Bank of America and several smaller banks have already made that policy. Others I’ve talked to in New York do not currently have any restrictions, but are telling me they are discussing the situation as they contemplate the risks.

Please don’t consider taking the risk of destroying your farm forever and possibly even your neighbors' land for a chance of quick cash.

A few years from now the gas companies will move on leaving you and the ruined land behind. The money will be gone and so will your children's future. The Native Americans have a saying: “Whatever decisions we make today, they should always have in view the seven unborn generations whose faces are yet beneath the surface of the ground.” - Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace

Our family has been on this land since it was cleared in the early 1800s. My grandfather was the third generation. My grandson is the seventh. It is not such a long time.

My term as a director of the Keuka Lake Association has ended, but my concerns about hydrofracking continue -- and grow. If hydrofracking is allowed in the Finger Lakes, it is clear to me that the disruption to roads and farms will decimate tourism and its related businesses. Wineries that rely on visitors will soon fold. The local economy will shrivel. After a decade or two, the gas and the drilling rigs will largely be gone and we will be left with much land that is no longer farmable and many areas with poisoned soil and water. Who will be responsible for repairing the damage and cleaning up the mess? How will we make a living then?

Do keep this in mind as we each weigh the possibility of some short-term cash for a few, against the possible long-term loss of the value and the use of our land forever.

April 13, 2011

Some of the 86 acres of vines at Sawmill Creek Vineyards rise so steeply that a machine harvester can not safely venture between the rows. The site on the southeast side of Seneca Lake provides fruit for nearly 30 wineries every year, and its combination of slope, location and vineyard management has earned Sawmill Creek a strong reputation.

Recently a fascinating question arose in the mind of Dave Whiting, winemaker at Red Newt Cellars: How would the wines made from Sawmill Creek in 2010 show, side-by-side, in a tasting featuring many of the producers who use this fruit?

Surely there would be some similarities. The hand of man can not fully obscure nature, nor would these winemakers wish to do so. But it's also true that they employ different methods in making wine from this same fruit. So a group of winemakers convened at the Hector Wine Company for a comparative event.

2010: "A spectacular growing season"

The length and warmth of the 2010 growing season produced tremendous potential in red wines in particular, but seeking out nuance and difference was a challenge for the winemakers.

"The 2010 had great quality across the board, with concentration, color and varietal strength," said Tim Moore, winemaker at Inspire Moore Winery on Canandaigua Lake.

At Rooster Hill on Keuka Lake, winemaker Barry Tortolon finds 2010 to offer a spectacular vintage without becoming overripe. "I did not have any over-the-top sugar levels but overall ripeness was the best I have seen in a long, long time," Tortolon said. "Even at at this early stage in their lives the reds are already showing good."

"We are going to see some phenomenal reds from the 2010 vintage," said Phil Arras, assistant winemaker at Damiani Wine Cellars. He pointed to the tannic structure and clear, powerful fruit already present in the wines.

But Arras added, "At this point in the life of a red, they are in a very reductive and closed down state, and it's hard to pick up on a lot of subtle differences. To say that some had brighter or bigger fruit than others would be a bit misleading at this point, since many are in a very closed and tight state."

There was, however, one clear difference that was impossible to miss.

Oak stands out in 2010 reds

"For the reds the most obvious differences seemed to be the use and type of oak," Arras said, echoing a common sentiment among the winemakers who attended.

"I must say that winemaking methodology has a big impression on outcome, especially on red wine production," Moore explained.

Finger Lakes winemakers use a wide range of oak, from new to neutral or old, and from American to Hungarian to the most expensive, French. Some winemakers described the sweet or smoky notes of oak's influence on many of the reds. All expressed optimism that with time, those components will weave together with the fruit to offer bold, balanced wines.

"I'd really love to do the same tasting again in about three or four years, when the 2010ss have been in the bottle for a few years and we can really see the differences in the finished products," Arras said. Indeed, the group made plans to hold this kind of tasting on a regular basis to evaluate the differences.

Going a step farther, Moore explained, "The group talked about making some universal lots next year to evaluate the terroir of Sawmill Creek Vineyard."

Optimism over white wines, too

Tortolon praised the chardonnay and sauvignon blanc from Sawmill Creek, while others are already eager to see the development of riesling. Tim Moore announced plans to create Inspire Moore's first-ever Reserve wines with the 2010 vintage.

Tina Hazlitt, Sawmill Creek's office manager who helped coordinate the event, said there was a lot to learn for the growers, too.

"We feel more connected to the wines and winemakers after events like this," she said. "It's so interesting to see how each brings their own approach. And these are relatively young winemakers who obviously want to learn as much as they can. We think they're doing wonderful things with Sawmill Creek fruit."

Hazlitt also said that Sawmill Creek's goal is to eventually work with only about a dozen wine producers in the region, which would further strengthen the growers' connection to the wines. She envisions signs on each block of vines, explaining which Finger Lakes winery will use the fruit. "That would make us proud," she said.

There will be a lot more to learn when this group reconvenes in a year, or three years, or five years. But this first event shows the spirit of exploration and inquiry that any wine region needs to become truly successful.

April 12, 2011

Why isn't there more traditionally made sparkling wine in the Finger Lakes?

Yes, I know it's more expensive to make than many wines. Yes, I know that it requires a serious investment time-wise. And yes, I know that the prices wineries need to charge for methode champenoise wines may be higher than some are willing to spend.

But when done well, Finger Lakes sparkling wine shows so much potential.

Take Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2006 Blanc de Blanc ($25) for example. They don't make it often -- the last one was from the 2001 vintage -- but when they do, it's a standout in an admittedly and sadly narrow field.

Made with 100% chardonnay, this 2010 NYCR Wines of the Year finalist shows crisp aromas of pear, Golden Delicious apple with hints of toasted brioche and marzipan.

Dry and very apple-y on a medium-bodied palate, there is a faint nuttiness to the apple and apple skin flavors with brioche lurking in the background. Super-fresh acidity really dries out the finish, which lingers nicely.

April 07, 2011

That's something Fox Run Vineyards winemaker Peter Bell is fond of saying. It has practically become a regional mantra. And if Bell is right, then one would expect 2010 to produce stellar wines.

But the Finger Lakes is not Bordeaux, and there is no early rush to judgment on the red wines from a vintage like 2010. That will come with time. Riesling, however, will start hitting the market in mere weeks.

And of course, no wine is more vital to Finger Lakes success than riesling.

So what to make of 2010 riesling?

More than most vintages, this will also require a little more time. That's because 2010 was not a warm vintage, but a hot one, relatively speaking, and a long one, but not a dry one. Some winemakers tell me they chose to add acid; others are adamant that acid additions were unnecessary.

We'll take Bell's advice and give the 2010 rieslings more time to evolve. "I'm optimistic, if guardedly so," Bell said. Tank samples show a variety of styles of Fox Run's 2010 rieslings, and some are more forward than others."We'll have a much better idea in June, I would think," Bell continued. "The potential is very high, but I prefer not to speak in absolutes. We'll see."

Some consumers are already asking if 2010 will resemble 2007, another long and hot year. The answer will vary from site to site, but in general, there will be significant differences. Drought marked 2007, which has produced more petrol character in the region's rieslings, even at a young age. That's less likely in 2010.

March 30, 2011

The more wines I taste from Red Tail Ridge on Seneca Lake, the more impressed I am with co-owner/winemaker Nancy Irelan's wines. If Red Tail Ridge isn't in the top tier of Finger Lakes wineries already, it will be very soon.

As with many wineries in the region, the rieslings are the stars of the portfolio, but Ireland isn't a one-grape pony, as evidenced by wines like this Red Tail Ridge 2008 Sparkling Teroldego ($35) -- as unique a wine as you'll find in the Finger Lakes.

Hailing from the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige, Teroldego is an early-ripening red variety, and I believe Red Tail's is the only significant planting in New York. Typically, it's used to make still wines.

This bubbly is beautiful in the glass, delivering aromas that range from black currants and cherries to cured meat to truffles. There is a savory, almost soy sauce-like note as well.

Medium-full bodied, this is a nearly-dry, frothy red with dried red and black fruit flavors backed by a meaty-savory vein throughout. Some tannins peek their head out on the mid-palate before leading into a soft, creamy finish that shows some black pepper along with dried cherries.

The finish isn't overly long, but I found myself coming back to this one after my tasting was complete. There is some serious, savory umami here and this wine begs for food -- anything grilled or with mushrooms.

March 28, 2011

Our post last week introducing our "Brian Sedgwick" email project certainly generated a reaction -- good and bad -- from inside and outside the New York wine community. We knew it would get peoples' attention and we knew we'd likely ruffle some feathers. That wasn't the goal, but it was inevitable, really.

Before I get into some of the details and the findings, I'd like to set the record straight.

We didn't do this to "get" anyone. When I conceived of this idea, I realized it would simply include a single email sent to wineries in the "off season." Some New York's wineries are closed this time of year and some of those that remain open are understaffed.

This was never meant to be an comprehensive, definitive study. It's a mere snapshot to get a general sense for how well New York wineries are paying attention to their general email addresses.

In challenging times, businesses of every type need to take advantage of every opportunity before them. And based on what we found, I think one can assume New York wineries are leaving money on the table.

In all, we sent this email to 193 New York wineries:

Good afternoon. I'm going to be visiting <REGION> wine country with some friends this weekend (Saturday and Sunday) and I'm trying to decide where I should taste and eat.

Could you provide some information?

- What time do you open and close on weekends?- How much is your tasting fee and how many wines do we get to taste?- What other wineries around yours would you recommend?- Do you have recommended restaurants nearby?

This is our first trip to the <REGION> wineries so I'd appreciate any insight you can offer.

Thanks,Brian

The Results

Of those 192 emails sent, only 112 replies came in (58%), which means that 42% of the emails were not responded to. That's 81 wineries that did not respond.

Looking at how quickly the email was responded to, 39% of the emails were replied to the same day we sent them out, 25% the next day and 8% were responded to on the third day or beyond.

I think the numbers speak for themselves. Needless to say, I find these numbers disturbing. If I owned a winery, I'd want every single email like this to be responded to in a timely, well-considered fashion.

People have mentioned publicly on Twitter and also in private emails that the email we sent out didn't seem "real" -- as though it were spam or something similar. I disagree completely.

People have also pointed out -- correctly -- that winery staff sizes vary greatly, implying that larger wineries are more likely to respond than those with only a handful of employees. That is also not true. Some of the state's smallest wineries replied while some of the biggest ones did not.

Breaking down the results by region doesn't offer much deeper insight -- except that Lake Erie wineries performed worst of all -- but several people have asked to see the regional breakdown:

The biggest mistake I made when planning and executing this project was incorrectly thinking that four questions could be used for every winery. Some of the questions simply didn't apply to some wineries -- some are closed, some don't charge for tastings, some are flexible with how many wines you can taste, some sell wine from a variety of wineries etc. Next time, we'll keep the different business models in mind.

So, I'm not going to share the data related to whether each question was answered, but I can say without a doubt that the quality of the responses we received varied greatly.

The good news is that (and I'm speaking anecdotally here) most of the wineries that responded took the time to welcome Brian to the region and answer his questions. Even one of the state's smallest producers, Heart & Hands Wine Company, which was closed the weekend in question, responded with a thoughtful email. (Note: We've removed the individual wineries mentioned in the email):

Brian -

Thank you for your inquiry.

Unfortunately, we will not be open this weekend for tastings. Other wineries in this area (eastern shore of Cayuga Lake) that we would recommend are: (3 WINERIES LISTED)

If you are going to be traveling to other lakes in the region, you may stop by the following wineries: (6 Listed)

Two fantastic restaurants nearby are located in the village of Aurora. The Aurora Inn is one of the finest restaurants in the region with a wonderful wine list. The Fargo, located across the street from the Aurora Inn, offers "upscale" pub food and a great beer selection.

Also, The Finger Lakes Wine Center in Ithaca is a great way to taste a number of great wines from the region without having to travel too far.

We look forward to your visit to the region & hope you enjoy your time.

Cheers,Tom & Susan

Peconic Bay Winery -- a well-staffed operation -- on the North Fork of Long Island also sent one of the better responses:

Hi Brian,

We're open 11-6 on Saturday and 11-5 on Sunday.

It would be a good weekend to come by as we have our Nautique Jazz & Blues Fest going on. Saturday we're featuring Matt Marshak live from 1-5pm and have a fun little promo going on with our Nautique Sparkling wine (complimentary chocolate lollipop with purchase of a glass, complimentary champagne glasses with purchase of a bottle).

This weekend also kicks of LI Winterfest Jazz on the Vine and there will be jazz playing at several different wineries. You can visit www.liwinterfest.com for participating wineries. Not all wineries participate in this actual program (like us) as some choose to do their own thing but many do have something going on. We always recommend (3 WINERIES LISTED), but I would check their websites to see what they're planning.

Our tasting fees run anywhere from $5-$12 (3-6 wines per flight) depending on which tasting flight you select.

Also I recommend eating at (2 RESTAURANTS LISTED) You can go to our website and under "visit us" there's a tab for "where to eat" and we have an extensive restaurant list.

Reservations are highly recommended with the Jazz festivals going on - it's a big weekend out here. I would also recommend (if you have 6 or more people in your party) calling the tasting room and reserving a table 631-734-7361 ext 0. Whatever you decide, enjoy!

Cheers!

Valerie HallockEvents DirectorPeconic Bay Winery

I don't call these two emails out as the only well-written emails we received, but instead merely as two good examples from two very different businesses.

On the other end of the quality spectrum were a surprising number of wineries that simply offered their hours, or their hours and fee structure, showing no apparent interest in recommending other local wineries or restaurants.

What Comes Next?

This is what matters -- what will local wineries do going forward? We sincerely hope that those doing the right things continue to do them and that those who did not reply to our email use this as a springboard to action. I've spoken with several winery owners (on both sides) and I'm more than happy to share detailed information with any others out there that want to know how their wineries performed.

We will be doing this again in the future. We've learned quite a bit already about how we can improve our end of things and will likely expand it even more to get a larger sample size -- maybe five emails to each winery. The results still won't be definitive, but the data should be more telling.

In the end, we hope this effort is a positive and productive one.

We welcome comments from consumers: How do you communicate with wineries? How do you set up visits or trips to the wine regions?

And we want to hear from wineries: How is communication changing when it comes to reaching customers?

March 25, 2011

This is a selection of New York wines that have crossed the NYCR tasting table recently but will not be reviewed as part of a standalone post. As always, these are transcribed almost directly from my notebook with little editing. Note that these were not tasted all in one sitting/flight but instead over the course of several weeks:

Lamoreaux Landing 2009 42 North ($15): Muscat-dominated blend. Floral and citrusy with Fruity Pebble fruit and clementine on the nose. Medium body, but light on flavor. Just off-dry and floral with orange peel and more citrus candy character. Short finish. Rating: 82

Lucas Vineyards 2009 Gewurztraminer ($15): Classic lychee nut aromas with somewhat-controlled rose petals over top of faint pear character. Well balanced with just a touch of that gewurzt bitterness. Lacks intensity of fruit, but a solid effort. Rating: 82

Martha Clara Vineyards 2009 Chardonnay ($15): Roasted tree fruit -- apple and pear -- with a little pineapple and buttered popcorn on the nose. Less fruity on the palate, with the buttered popcorn more pronounced. Still some nice pineapple, but some raw, slightly bitter, oak too. Rating: 81

I first met the founders of Lacrosse for Autism -- a local non-profit that raises money for autism research -- in September at our Angelman Syndrome event, and when my wife Nena and I were deciding what charity we'd like to benefit with our next event, it was a no-brainer.

Tickets for the event are $40 with a significant portion of that going directly to the charity. Attendees will enjoy an afternoon of $2 glasses of wine (every penny going to charity), wine-friendly nibbles by Luce-Hawkins, 10% off bottle purchases and access to our silent auction -- which already has some outstanding lots finalized

If you have ever thought, even for a brief moment, that owning a vineyard and winery would be fun, consider this: The first decision often turns out to be the biggest mistake.

That decision, of course, is what grapes to plant, and where.

With support from the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, Cornell has launched an ambitious program and website dedicated to that pursuit. The site is NYVineyardSite.org.

"We're seeing more people who want to get away from the corporate grind," professor Alan Lakso told me. "They sort of get caught up in the romance of starting a vineyard. Our goal is to help them make the best decisions before a few years have passed and they're looking around, asking what might have gone wrong. Because at that point we often have to say, 'There's not much you can do here. Plant somewhere else.'"

Lakso, along with his colleague Tim Martinson and other members of the Cornell staff, have to tell surprised winery owners the hard truth. Undoing a mistake can cost tens of thousands of dollars and many years. "You can waste a good site with the wrong variety, and you can waste good varieties on the wrong site," Lakso said.

The website's most valuable tool is the interactive map, which is easy to use even for those with no scientific background. It can be used to show color-coded temperature shading, showing which parts of a particular region are more likely to see temperatures fall below -5 degrees farenheit, or -10, or -15. It can also show the average growing degree days for given areas, or slope, or drainage.

"Our eventual goal is to allow users to click on a variety, like cabernet sauvignon," Lakso explained. "Then the map would show the conditions necessary to grow consistently good or ripe cabernet. The map would reveal where these conditions converged, indicating where a new cabernet vineyard would be likely to be successful."

Even in the Finger Lakes, I asked?

"Sure, there are sites for it," Lakso said. "Far fewer sites for it than we'd find for riesling, but that doesn't mean cabernet can't succeed in the Finger Lakes. And the website will be designed to reveal those locations."

To get to that point, Cornell has a great deal more research to do. And they'll need to use more advanced technology to improve the map details. For now, the map is not nearly as specific as Lakso would like to see.

For example, Lakso explained that the so-called "Banana Belt" does exist. That refers to the southeast side of Seneca Lake, where growers like to say a combination of factors makes for slightly warmer sites. "To an extent, it's true," Lakso told me. "A major factor is wind, which can blow straight down the lake from the north in the winter, emptying out around Hector. If the wind shifts, as it can, that warm air is gone. But they tend to get that warm winter wind off the lake, which is protective."

So why, I wondered, doesn't the "Banana Belt" show up more visibly on the map?

"Right now, the map reflects a measurement of blocks of area, and they're rather large," Lakso said. "We're talking about three miles. Do you know how much can change in three miles? I've seen one single vineyard with six degrees difference from simply the top to the bottom. That's not uncommon. But the current map can't reflect that."

Cornell has 90 temperature sensors that can take updated readings every 30 minutes, but Lakso is hoping for more advanced aerial imaging, too. Improving the map will require more funding, and Foundation president Jim Trezise, who calls this one of his all-time favorite projects, is pushing hard for it.

"Alan’s project was by far the most costly," Trezise said regarding the decision to pursue it several years ago, "but also a great investment in terms of growing the industry and improving quality. The concept was to use modern, space-age technology to save current and prospective industry members a lot to time, effort and money."

So is it working? Trezise said that it's hard to get a perfect gauge for how many growers have used the site, but he expects it's significant already. "They can do 90% of the necessary exploration on their computer with a cup of green tea on a Sunday morning," he said.

Cornell takes no position on a single best or warmest site for grape growing. Decades ago, Hermann Wiemer communicated with such luminous figures as Dr. Nelson Shaulis. Records indicate that Cornell was pursuing the question of the warmest sites as early as the 1960s, and Hermann's communications indicated that a site on the west side of Seneca offered the most heat. That site is in Dresden, and a look at the new Cornell imaging map gives clues as to why. That warm winter air that Lakso described gliding down the lake runs into a nose of land that protrudes from the west side. That's Dresden. Then, looking west, there are no other bodies of water for many miles, so in the summer the warm air arrives in Dresden uninterrupted.

For this writer, it's a clue as to why the Dresden vineyards were able to withstand the infamous Christmas Massacre in the early 1980s, when so many other vinifera sites lost everything to a huge shift in temperature and extreme cold.

These days, Lakso wouldn't be interested in declaring one site or another as superior. Rather, he wants to find the sites that are superior for certain varieties of grapes. "We've already spoken to one grower who was going to plant pinot noir up their hillside, but looked at the website and realized that would be a bad idea!" Lakso said.

But without further funding, the website project could stall. "For 2011, there are more than $1 million in funding requests for very worthwhile projects, and less than $100,000 of private sector funds," Trezise explained. "The projects that don’t get funding won’t get done, a loss to the researchers and the industry. The researchers need to do something, so they might turn to other crops or, perish the thought, go to other universities."

Lakso has no plans to go anywhere else, but he'd like to see this project completed by the end of this year. The need, he explained, is greater than ever. And part of the reason is climate change, which one might assume would make it easier to grow grapes in places like the Finger Lakes.

"Not necessarily," Lakso said. "Summers have seen very little change over 30 years. But winters are getting milder. That's the biggest difference."

So why wouldn't that automatically benefit growers?

"Climate change brings more erratic weather, and that's potentially a problem. Wild swings in temperature can be devastating, even if temperatures don't fall as far as they once did. If we get more of those warm stretches during the winter, some vines could begin to lose their winter hardiness."

The moment when things started to sound ominous, Lakso smiled. "Climate is what you expect, but weather is what you get. And we get something a little different every year. We're doing our best to understand it, and if you ask me, that's fun."

March 21, 2011

For a significant portion of their potential customer base, a winery's website is the first point of contact and communication. It's the front lines in the battle for mind share and dollars.

Most New York wineries have websites nowadays -- even if many are painfully out of date -- but how well do wineries monitor leads and inquiries that come in via their website or email?

We wanted to find out.

So, over the last six to eight weeks, more than 170 New York wineries -- across the Erie, Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley, Long Island and Niagara regions -- received an email from Brian Sedgwick. The emails were always sent on a Tuesday and in them, Brian let the wineries know that he'd be touring their region the upcoming Saturday and Sunday. He also asked four basic questions:

What time do you open and close on weekends?

How much is your tasting fee and how many wines do we get to taste?

What other wineries around yours would you recommend?

Do you have recommended restaurants nearby?

Who is Brian Sedgwick and why was he visiting so many New York wine regions during such a short period of time?

Brian Sedgwick isn't real. I made him up and created an email address from which these emails went out... and the results have been nothing short of fascinating -- and in many cases disheartening.

We're still crunching the numbers, but before we start publishing the results, I wanted to outline our process.

First, we used the winery lists on the New York Wine & Grape Foundation website as our starting point. We focused on wineries -- removing mead and cider producers. We also used the email addresses listed on the NYWGF website unless a different email address was listed on the winery's individual website. In cases where more than one email address was listed on a winery website, we used the most "generic" one.

As I said, all emails were sent out on Tuesdays and -- with some help from our technical director, Brian Yanosik -- every winery in a particular region received the email at the same time. We then tracked whether or not we got a response, when we got it and how many of the four questions posed were answered (this proved tricky for seasonal regions where a significant number of wineries close for the winter).

One other item of note -- if a winery's website didn't list an email address, but instead had a contact form, we used the email address posted on the NYWGF site. We thought it important that every winery (in a region) get the same message the same way at the same time. And, if I really were visiting a wine region for the first time, I'm much more likely to send out a mass email than I am to fill out a dozen or more online forms.

We'll start publishing region-by-region results next week, focusing on some high-level response rates and highlighting some of the best responses.

If you're a winery owner/manager/winemaker and you're curious how your winery handled the inquiry (or not), just let us know and we'll share the full details privately.

March 16, 2011

Chris Stamp wants to show me something, but he wants to keep it a secret, and he knows I'm a writer. I'm here to chat, to taste his 2010 wines, to understand how a guy like him can carry so much energy, all the time. But he wants to show Evan Dawson, private citizen, not Evan Dawson, writer.

I am not conditioned to go off the record easily. I favor transparency and openness and sunlight. But Stamp won't budge -- not yet, anyway, as he explains it. So I relent.

"Okay, we're off the record," I tell him.

Unburdened, the Lakewood Vineyards winemaker hops up and leads me to his newest project. And that, unfortunately, is about all I can say about it right now. I don't write about this incident to tease NYCR readers. I write about it to help explain several important aspects of Chris Stamp's personality.

At 50 years old, and having made wine in the Finger Lakes for 28 years, Stamp is still trying new things. He is serious about his work but his experiments carry a sense of adventure and even mischief. And he still has the energy and enthusiasm to make tremendous wines.

Chris has noticed a difference in the way winemakers talk over the years. Not just winemakers. Tasting room managers, winery owners and even customers. And he uses a phrase I've come to use myself on occasion.

"I think it's a coming of age for us," he says.

Then he explains. "Twenty years ago, we talked a lot about how Finger Lakes rieslings were 'Germanic', but somewhere in the interim we realized that despite their similarities, our rieslings had a distinctly different personality. Somewhere in that period we had an epiphany. We really didn't have to reference Germany, we could be ourselves and not suffer from the inferiority complex we carried with us for so long. Our rieslings were great in their own way and we didn't have feel apologetic."

This is where Stamp makes a point that might seem obvious, but for his long-time customers (and for real down-in-the-dirt wine geeks), it means something more.

"Riesling can be grown in many places, but you can only grow Finger Lakes riesling in the Finger Lakes," he says. "Lucky for us, that's where we are. Now, I don't think we've completely defined Finger Lakes riesling yet, but we are making progress."

That leads inevitably to this question: What does it mean to say "Finger Lakes riesling"? Chris Stamp is wisely hesitant to define it. But he takes a stab: "The mineral, citrus, and acidic edge common to many German rieslings combined with the more opulent fruit basket characters of Washington state rieslings. But I really hate to draw on other regions to define us because we're unique. There is something special."

Point taken.

Stamp's rieslings are racy and pure, classic Finger Lakes expressions. He was one of the first in a growing group of winemakers who are stopping fermentation to preserve residual sugar, instead of fermenting dry and then back-sweetening. The result is a set of rieslings that is consistently lower in alcohol than many from the region. The Lakewood 2010 rieslings all check in around 11% ABV.

The 2010 Dry Riesling is thought-provoking; it's a crisp, energetic wine from a long, warm year, and Stamp did not add acid. He stopped the fermentation at just under 1% residual sugar, but curiously there's a part of him that would like to take the wine drier. "I find that if I make it any drier, it's just too challenging for people," Stamp tells me. "I prefer it very dry myself, but I think I'm the exception."

Like so many of his colleagues, Chris Stamp can hardly say enough about the 2010 vintage. "It's especially a relief after 2009," he says. "I found it an incredible pleasure to work. We had to do so little."

Then we taste a wine that offers a perfect example of that: the 2010 Vignoles. Stamp says it came in at 25.2 brix and produced a wine with tremendous richness and texture. "I didn't even want to throw the pomace out, it looked so nice!" he says.

Visitors to the Lakewood tasting room might be surprised at how long the wine list is. Lakewood now operates 85 acres of vines and Chris Stamp has expanded the portfolio. He's a capable producer of fortified red wines, and his pair of sparkling wines are impressive. The Brut sparkling wine is a great value, and the Candeo could easily pass for Prosecco in a blind tasting.

Lakewood is a family operation, founded in 1988 and run by the many members of the Stamp clan. Chris likes to joke that he might as well try new things because he'll never retire and never leave. His business card includes the jocular title of "Prisoner."

We conclude our visit with a discussion about whether the Finger Lakes needs to produce bigger, fruitier and richer wines to compete with other American wine regions. Stamp thinks the answer is no, but he's not afraid to take a warm vintage and make a bolder style of wine. But he fears it's easier to marginalize Finger Lakes wines when comparing them to wines from other regions.

"The very nature of wine judging -- tasting numerous wines side by side to compare them -- favors big wines and puts more subtle and elegant wines at a disadvantage," he says. "Until judges train themselves to slow down and look at brains instead of brawn, the love affair will continue. This will be hard to change when a judge is asked to evaluate 100 wines in a day. In the end it will be people who pair wine with food who snap us out of this cycle. Huge wines have their place, but that's usually not with food. Which in my mind makes them not that much different than Labrusca wines in this respect."

Then, in classic Chris Stamp fashion, he adds a playful addendum: "I'll probably catch a lot of flack for that one."

Maybe. But ultimately he's earned the respect of his colleagues by making high-quality wines, embracing new ideas, and occasionally speaking hard truths. It's no wonder so many long-time Finger Lakes wine lovers speak of the Stamp family with such affection.

But what will they say when he finally reveals his secret project? He and I laugh as we think about it. We're both curious to find out.

March 14, 2011

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor Photo courtesy of Antoinette Di Ciaccio, who was excited to meet Oz in October

British wine writer Oz Clarke visited the Finger Lakes in October to promote his new book "Let Me Tell You About Wine." (Full disclosure: Oz and I have the same publisher.)

I intended to write a story about his views of Finger Lakes wine during that visit, but time got away from me. I was thrilled to chat with him last week, and I found that his memory of wines and wineries is remarkable.

Oz can tell you about a wine he tasted at Martha Clara Vineyards during a tasting of Long Island wines, and he can name individual favorites at Finger Lakes producers like Lakewood and Fox Run. He has bolstered a reputation for being able to travel the world and retain a knowledge of smaller, less-heralded regions. (His book is filled with information on regions you might rarely think about.)

Here are some of Oz Clarke's thoughts about the quality of Finger Lakes wines, what he likes to see growers plant, and how the region might further break through barriers of recognition.

It helps, by the way, to imagine his responses in a mellifluous British baritone.

On whether a wine region needs a "flagship" grape variety

"I can hardly stand when I arrive to hear everyone talking about this or that 'flagship' grape. Why can't they just make the best possible wine without trying to convince you it has to be just one variety? Look at California. For a while everyone thought syrah was the next big thing, the next flagship, if you like. Everyone planted syrah and then no one could sell it. In the Finger Lakes, there's no doubt that riesling is very special. We don't know yet just how good rielsing can be from the Finger Lakes. I simply enjoy diversity."

On how the Finger Lakes can improve its worldwide image and improve its sales

"Those of us who've been to the Finger Lakes absolutely love it. We go away and we talk about it to our friends, but it doesn't necessarily translate to higher sales. In Europe in particular, that's just a difficult thing to do. Wine regions in Europe have to export, but in the states there's a domestic market that can support wine regions like the Finger Lakes.

"But you have to get beyond New York. I would love Manhattan to take the Finger Lakes to heart. Why not bring people from Manhattan up to the Finger Lakes. Take them out on the boat, and show them! Let them see it firsthand. Sunny day, coasting on the water, glass of Riesling in hand. Each time I've been to the Finger Lakes I've been absolutely delighted. So perhaps you can make an impact in Manhattan.

"But there's an entire country! There is opportunity, no question about it. Finger Lakes wines are remarkably well suited to food. I'd choose the food magazines just as much as the wine magazines when I want that kind of attention."

So what kind of wines will the domestic market buy from the Finger Lakes?

"The big charabanc, the big freight train has moved in the direction of bigger, richer, fruitier wines. But that doesn't mean there aren't hobos on that freight train -- like you and me! -- who are jumping off at every turn. The people who love restrained, cool-climate wines might be a minority, but it's growing, and there's a future for those wines.

"There's no point is trying to pump up the wines to become something they're not comfortable being. There's no point in pushing for higher alcohol or more new oak. That simply equals higher costs and no one is particularly impressed. Save your money. No one should apologize for the absolutely stunning cool climate wines that the Finger Lakes can produce. You just have to find the customers who appreciate it."

On the grape varieties he'd like to see the Finger Lakes pursue

"The most interesting are often the most unusual. Why not see what Corvina or Teroldego can do in the Finger Lakes? I know some people are making syrah, and millennials might buy it, but you have to be ready for them to get bored with it. So many wines speak of nowhere, and you have to be open to wines that speak of the Finger Lakes. But there is no 'proper' grape for a single region. There are simply grapes more suited to certain places.

"You're off and running with riesling, and that's wonderful, but it's not the only game in town. We need to get past this 1990s mentality that every winery needs to plant merlot and chardonnay and the like. But it takes a bit of boldness to make something like Corvina, doesn't it? Certainty is fine for large, commercial wines. The world needs large-production wines. But the Finger Lakes is not a large-production wine region.

"We want certainty in our cars, and our shampoos, and our hotels. But one doesn't necessarily want that same kind of certainty in wine. It's just fun to pick up a Port at Fox Run and then a rielsing at Anthony Road and then a Teroldego at Red Tail. Why not? It makes all the sense in the world."

On whether he sees New York wine getting the support it needs

"Look at Virginia. Now there's a state that has a governor who is supportive of the industry. That massively helps. A little political will goes a long way. I'm not saying New York doesn't have it, but it can only help."

March 09, 2011

I truly believe we're well on our way to shocking my publisher, Sterling Publishing, when it comes to interest in the Finger Lakes wine scene.

That's not to say Sterling doesn't believe in my book. Obviously they do, but we want to show them that their modest expectations can be greatly exceeded.

And there are some big events coming up that will be one heck of a good time.

They're listed below, and the list of events grows almost daily it seems.

If you choose one, I hope you'll choose to join us at the New York Wine and Culinary Center for the official book launch party on Saturday, April 23 from 4-6 p.m. Winemakers Fred Merwarth of Hermann J. Wiemer and Johannes Reinhardt of Anthony Road Wine Company will be telling stories, talking about how I conned them into letting me write the stories of their lives, and pouring wine for the attendees.

That's not to say the other events won't be awesome. I'm truly excited for all of them. I just want to kick off with a strong opener to generate some momentum for the rest of the year.

I hope you can join us!

Friday, April 8Roc City UncorkedRochester Riverside Convention Center7pm90 wineries, 30 restaurants, bakers, and brewmasters will offer tastes to the public. You can say hi to Evan and pick up a copy of Summer in a Glass!Tickets: $50, available at Wegmans

Saturday, April 23The New York Wine and Culinary Center, Canandaigua4-6pmOfficial book release party$50Join Evan and winemakers Johannes Reinhardt of Anthony Road Wine Company and Fred Merwarth of Hermann J. Wiemer. Attendees will enjoy a sparkling wine reception, signed copy of the book, tasting of wines related to the book, and discussion with the dynamic Johannes and Fred!

Wednesday, June 15Union Square Wines, New York City6pm-8pmWe’ll taste wines, discuss the people in Summer in a Glass, maybe sign some books, and have a wonderful time at a very cool place. Join us!

Thursday, June 16Brooklyn Winery, Brooklyn, NYTasting and talking with the winemakers from Anthony Road Wine CompanyJohannes Reinhardt’s story is central to Summer in a Glass. Anthony Road has a strong relationship with Brooklyn Winery, and for this event we’ll taste wines and have a wonderful interactive discussion on the future of wines in New York!

Saturday, June 18Sheldrake Point Vineyard, Cayuga LakeFeaturing Sheldrake Point winemaker Dave Breeden1:30 pmAttendees receive a book, boxed lunch from Simply Red Bistro, and wine tasting with the author and winemaker. Evan will read a few select passages from the book to illustrate points. We expect some lively debate!Ticket price TBA

Saturday, July 18The Finger Lakes Wine Festival, Watkins GlenStop by and visit Evan during the festival, or – better yet! – get a ticket to the VIP Riedel Experience, where Evan will help present wines and talk about the book! This is sure to be one of the premier wine events of the summer.

March 08, 2011

I don't write a lot of reviews of wines made with Cayuga White, a hybrid grape developed at Cornell University's Agriculture Experiment Station. Most of them just don't impress me. Too often they get that foxy character at high brix.

But, when harvested a bit earlier, it can make some fruity, well-balanced wines that seem perfectly suited to summer sipping -- or even as stand in for riesling at the dinner table with spicy ethnic foods.

One such example is Lucas Vineyards 2009 Cayuga White ($9). Just cut pear and apple as well as slightly candied apple aromas are just a bit floral too... think apple blossom.

Straight-forward and satisfying, the palate brings more of that fresh-meets-candied apple and pear. It's off dry (2.75% RS) but with more than enough acidity to bring balance and keep things lively.

If you're looking for complexity, look elsewhere, but for $9, you get a lot of freshness and fruit-forward deliciousness.

"As an industry, we're in love with certainty. But if you're going to make exciting wine, you're going to be on the edge of having flaws."

Those are some of the first words offered by the winemaker of Bloomer Creek Vineyard. It's an ethos shared by many winemakers who produce the world's best wines. The concept of "best" wine or "better" wine is fleeting, a bit silly, and easily misguided. We tend to eschew the word "best" on the New York Cork Report.

But spend a few hours with Kim Engle and Debra Bermingham, the husband-and-wife team that owns the tiny Bloomer Creek winery, and you'll find that convention has politely been asked to leave the room.

So in that spirit I'll make a rather unconventional statement: Bloomer Creek's 2009 Rieslings are the best rieslings you're not drinking.

That is, unless you are drinking them, or have tasted them, but you probably haven't yet. The wines are new and there are so few of them that even avid New York wine drinkers rarely get a chance to try them.

Of course, the notion of "best" is utterly subjective. But even if you don't love the Bloomer Creek 2009 Rieslings, you will be helpless to describe them as anything less than fascinating. There is a reason for that, and it begins with Kim Engle, who seems to speak in humble aphorism.

"Safety and excitement rarely coexist," he tells me in the Bloomer Creek tasting room. Daylight has made its escape, and Kim and Debra have chosen to use only the lights of flickering candles for illumination. They are friendly and gracious, but with differing personalities. Debra is a sparkplug, gregarious and eager to answer any question or elaborate on her husband's points. Kim, the winemaker, is more reserved, intense and intelligent without showing an ounce of hubris. That's because he tempers his strongest opinions with disclaimers that show a sense of perspective and respect for his colleagues.

We are focusing this tasting on the white wines of Bloomer Creek. The vineyards sit atop a hill about a mile from Cayuga Lake. That distance means the vines have less protection than many regional sites. Kim shrugs it off by explaining that winter kill reduces yields, which is a practice that more growers ought to embrace anyway. "We still need lower yields in the Finger Lakes," he says, "but it's not easy just to decide to lower the yield. We'd need to sell the wines for more money, and obviously that's not easy to do."

But Kim doesn't really mean "we." He means "they," as in, most of his colleagues. Bloomer Creek made only about 1,000 cases of wine last year and has never made more than 2,000. And here again Kim softens his comments about his colleagues, saying, "It's just easier for us to make these kinds of decisions. We're not a large operation. We can afford to make mistakes. It will never cost us 10,000 cases of wine. So I'm just speaking from our perspective."

What you'll find in tasting through a range of vintages at Bloomer Creek is that a lot has changed, culminating in a giant leap forward in the 2009 Rieslings. Engle grew raspberries in the 1990s before learning in the vineyards and consulting at several Finger Lakes wineries. He and Debra launched the Stonecat Cafe in 1998, a popular restaurant on the southeast side of Seneca Lake. They built the tasting room for Bloomer Creek on the same property, but eventually sold the restaurant to focus entirely on the wines. Now the tasting room sits next door to the south of Stonecat.

Taking wine to the edge

A few years ago, Kim and Debra decided they would use wild yeast in making their wines. They stopped filtering most of the wines (though Kim still filters white wines with any significant residual sugar).

And, following the lead of Hermann J. Wiemer, they abandoned the quick, heat-controlled fermentations used by just about everyone in the world of wine today. That means the cold fermentation can happen painfully slowly; the 2009 Rieslings didn't finish fermentation until April of 2010, when many other local producers had already bottled their wines.

Kim returns to a familiar theme: embracing uncertainty.

"We're almost addicted to predictability in the wine industry," he says. "It's easy to understand why. We want to know how long the wine will ferment, and what it's supposed to be when it's done. But I like the uncertainty that comes with cold fermentation. We're looking for the best expression of the wine that particular year, and we're looking for balance. But we don't go in with a preconceived notion of what that means or how to get it."

And here's where the flaws come in. Kim and Debra don't hide the fact that they've learned a lot over the past five years, and some of that learning comes from losing batches of wine. Their methods make their wines more vulnerable to volatile acidity. Kim finds that the reds are more likely to show it, and it's been rare in the Bloomer Creek rieslings. But each lost batch is a learning opportunity, and Engle rarely encounters problems with his methods these days.

Before we taste the wines -- and there now more than a dozen bottles on the tasting room counter -- Kim warns me that I shouldn't expect too much similarity from vintage to vintage. "We have to make sure we don't try to make the same wine every year," he says. I ask if he's ever put his wine through the process of de-acidication in leaner years (a process adopted by many colleagues who are seeking softer, rounder wines). "I've reduced acidity only once. It was 2006. Turns out I could taste the acid reduction. It just seemed artificial, and that's not something I want. So that was the last time we did it."

By the time we finally taste, I am not at all sure what to expect.

Tasting the most distinctive wines in the region

The 2009 Auten Vineyard First Harvest is a marvel, a riesling that evokes the Lopez de Heredia white wines that have earned a devoted following around the world. No two tasters will list the same aromatics. Chamomile, white flowers, lime? Sure. Brioche, caramel apple, peaches, crushed rock? That works, too.

But this wine is even more enthralling in the mouth. Its stony core, a hallmark of the vintage, is glazed with layers of flavors that seem to change by the moment. The residual sugar totals nearly 30 grams, but it easily comes off as half that number. Almost ostentatious, it's simply riveting.

Its cousin, the 2009 Morehouse Road Vineyard Riesling, is equally distinctive but with its own personality. If the Auten is a lindy hop, the Morehouse is a handshake that evolves into a graceful waltz. Starting slow, the wine builds and unveils its complexity with more subtlety. Like the Auten, there is no doubt that this is a Finger Lakes riesling, but there also is little precedent for a wine of this profile.

"It could be a long time before we get a year like 2009," Kim says. "You couldn't help but make good riesling. I hear some winemakers panic about the acidity, but that's the backbone of great wine. It's a gift."

The third 2009 riesling bottling is the Auten Vineyard Second Harvest, which was picked nearly a month later than the First Harvest. The picking date is essentially the only difference, as Engle stopped fermentation at roughly the same level of residual sugar. The result is a wine that is a touch fatter, and I found it almost over the top, losing a bit of regional character. Nonetheless, I was thrilled to taste two wines from the same site, picked a month apart, to highlight the differences. It's the kind of experimentation that will allow Kim and Debra to continue to grow.

Bloomer Creek's 2009 Gewurztraminer is, for comparison's sake, a more conventional gewurztraminer, and it's a tremendous one. Balanced and precise, it was a finalist in our New York Cork Report Wines of the Year tasting.

We tasted through some of the older Bloomer Creek wines and I found a wide range, which is exactly what Kim and Debra explained I would see. "You can see that we're pretty adventurous," Debra says, smiling through the candle light. "It's nice to be ourselves in our wine."

Even the labels show that individualism. Bloomer Creek's aromatic white wines are now released under the Tanzen Dame label (that's German for "lady dances"), and it features art from the couple's friend. Debra is an artist with a gallery and connections in New York City, and they wanted to feature that artistic edge on their bottles.

What's next for Bloomer Creek?

Kim and Debra would like to double their ten acres by adding vines to the property facing Seneca Lake that sprawls out below their tasting room. "He's a passionate grower," Debra says of her husband, who shrugs and adds, "There's still a lot to learn and see. Those ten acres would teach us a lot about the land's impact on our wines."

I think of Kim Engle as a kind of optimistic skeptic. He believes in the concept of terroir, or sense of place, and he clearly believes the Finger Lakes can offer a special place to make wine. But there's also an edge to that optimism that says, "Prove it." It's a balance that informs his experimentation and open-minded style of winemaking.

There's no way to predict whether the 2010 Bloomer Creek Rieslings will be as gripping as the 2009 versions. After all, they'll be fermenting for the next several weeks or months still. But here's one thing we can all expect from Bloomer Creek: We can expect Kim and Debra to challenge our expectations and offer intelectually stimulating wines. It is hard to ask for more than that.

March 01, 2011

There are a handful of ways to make ice (and ice-style) wine, but to make it great, you've got to start with high-quality fruit. I'm reminded of that every time I taste a Standing Stone example. There are four, all priced at $24.99 per bottle: vidal, riesling, gewurtraminer and chardonnay.

The Standing Stone Vineyards 2008 Riesling Ice was the NYCR Finger Lakes Dessert Wine of the Year. Like its siblings, the Riesling Ice is rich and pure, always clean and focused. And winemaker/owner Marti Macinski, along with her husband Tom, are committed to getting their ice wines to customers at affordable prices.

"We know that $25 is not cheap, but it's nowhere near the price of some other dessert wines on the market," Marti told me on a recent visit. "That's extremely important to us. At $50 or $60 a bottle, the world drops off. We want our customers to be able to afford our wines for more than just a special occasion."

And yet drinking a Standing Stone ice wine just might create a special occasion. The Macinskis choose to pick the fruit and then store the grapes in commercial freezers for several months. In the video above, you'll see the action on press day -- and you'll hear exactly how much sugar remains after this process.

In the video they're pressing Vidal, which nearly snuck in to the NYCR Wines of the Year flight. Each Standing Stone dessert wine is distinctive, appealing to many tastes. That's another part of the plan for the Macinskis, who bring a thoughtful approach to all aspects of their operation (especially when to spend money, and when to seek cost-effective solutions, as you'll see in the video).